Beyoncé To Direct (And Star) In Her Own Documentary On HBO

Like the true controlling workaholic we all know Beyoncé is, she’s taking it all NEXT LEVEL, releasing a feature-length documentary on HBO that she has not only lived, but also directed. Talk about taking your life in your own hands! Bey’s doc is bound to be a classic, weaving viewers through the life and work of the famously buttoned-up pop star.

The film is a multi-faceted portrait of the 16-time Grammy Award-winning singer, businesswoman, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, wife and mother, showing off the extraordinary gifts that have made her a global phenomenon, and stripping away the veneer of stardom. It includes extensive first-person footage, some of it shot by Beyoncé on her laptop, in which she reflects on the realities of celebrity, the refuge she finds onstage and the transcendent joy of becoming a mother last year.

“…Shot by Beyoncé on her laptop…”

The film sheds light on her childhood in Houston, with home movies revealing the close bond she built with her family and charts the challenges Beyoncé felt when she decided to manage her career and build her own company, Parkwood Entertainment. The film also captures the intense physical and emotional demands she goes through in the studio, preparing for live performances, running a business and her family life including her return to the spotlight after the birth of her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, in January 2012.

I have a feeling Beyoncé also served as Copywriter on this press release.

There’s something extraordinary about Beyoncé in that she continually pretends to reveal “behind the scenes” footage of herself that is actually more carefully crafted than the magazine covers she appears on. For example, when Beyoncé’s Tumblr was revealed earlier this year, the photos revealed a stripped down Beyoncé–Lounging poolside, makeup-less–all the things you’d imagine a real Beyoncé would be. But despite the outtake style, there’s still something completely perfect about Bey. Like even her outtakes are (secretly!) not the outtakes. A journey into Instagram, has revealed Bey to be more of a fashion blogger–but any Instagram user can tell that there’s no way those photos were actually taken on the app itself.

Real or not, the documentary is set to premiere on HBO on February 15, 2013. Set your DVR(s) accordingly. Or she’ll probably do it for you.